White
Elm Garden Centre

Controlled Public Feeding Policy

 

 

Animal
feed in the form of grass pellets is sold at reception.  Each bucket holds 125g of feed. It is safe to
be fed ad lib to ruminants, rabbits, guinea pigs, rabbits and equids and does
not impact of the nutrition of the animals. Not all species can be fed by the
public. Animals that are not to be fed have signs outside their pens or
paddocks indicating this and staff monitor to prevent incorrect feeding. This
is a green/red system so clear for the public.

 

When buckets
of feed are sold, the public are told which animals can be fed and how to feed
safety.  A leaflet is given to the public
also explaining this. 

 

Information
about potential zoonotic diseases is available to the public on signage, on
leaflets handed to customers on entry and available via the website.  A risk assessment has been completed and is
reviewed annually or after any significant incidents.

 

Buckets
are sprayed with Safe4 daily and deep cleaned as needed.

 

Monitoring

 

Staff are
constantly monitoring the behaviour of members of the public while out on the
farm and will stop incorrect feeding of the animals and explain why only
certain animals can be fed.  Duty
managers are available to help with difficult customers.

 

Animal behaviour

 

Staff are
able to monitor the behaviour of the animals during their daily routine.  If the behaviour of the animals is adversely
affected by public feeding, for example if animals are getting aggressive with
each other when feed is offered; if individual animals are becoming shy of
other members of their group; or if the expectation of receiving feed changes
their behaviour towards staff or public, then restrictions are put in place, e.g.,
that group of animals is no longer fed, either temporarily to monitor the
effect or permanently.

 

Body Condition Scores and Weighing

 

The body
condition scores of the animals are monitored regularly along with body weights
where possible.

 

Public
feeding of animals is constantly being monitored for its effects and any
problems or adverse reactions are reviewed to prevent reoccurrence.  The option to discontinue feeding of the
animals is a possibility if it is decided that there are too many negative
implications for animal welfare.

 

Hand
washing facilities

 

Hand
washing facilities are provided throughout the farm and are placed at strategic
points to improve their use by members of the public.  There are five in total. There is clear
signage signposting public to hand wash stations and information about correct
technique to wash hands.  There is a hand
washing point on the walkway down from reception and additional points around
the site close to any potential animal contact. 
A leaflet handed out to visitors clearly shows the placement of the hand-washing
facilities.

 

Each hand-washing
point has hot water, soap and hand towels provided and these are monitored
during the day to ensure they are kept clean and there is an adequate soap and
hand towel supply by the cleaning and animal teams.